Africa-Press – Gambia. The Accountant General, Ms. Agnes Macaulay, came under intense scrutiny yesterday before the Special Select Committee investigating the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission, after failing to meet deadlines set by the National Assembly.
Ms. Macaulay, who holds the dual role of Chief Accounting Officer/ Paymaster and Receiver General of Government, faced tough questioning over delays in responding to a summons issued on July 3, 2025. The summons required her office to produce all relevant documents, including receipts and records linked to the sale and disposal of vehicles belonging to the former president.
While Ms. Macaulay confirmed that her office submitted documents on August 28, 2025 five weeks after the July 14 deadline she apologized for the delay, attributing it to the collation process, multiple internal and external requests, and the need to verify documentation before submission. She noted that some documents were requested earlier by the Ministry of Justice, adding to the delay.
The committee, however, pressed her on why the delay had not been formally communicated or justified in advance. Ms. Macaulay acknowledged the lapse but emphasized that she was on leave during critical periods and that her deputy was also absent at times. “It is not our desire to withhold information,” she said, adding that this was the only instance in which her office had fallen short of responding in a timely manner.
The Accountant General also walked the committee through the documentation submitted, including payment slips, Trust Bank and Central Bank statements, and reconciliation tables detailing collections at sub-treasuries and transfers to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. She confirmed that the office maintains two main accounts for the Janneh Commission at the Central Bank, used for asset sales proceeds, with some additional accounts for operational expenses of the Commission of Enquiry.
Despite providing explanations, committee members expressed dissatisfaction with her office’s lack of proactive communication and incomplete submissions, noting that requests made directly by the Assembly had not been fully honoured. The committee ordered Ms. Macaulay to produce all outstanding documents within 24 hours and provide a formal statement to investigators before leaving the premises.
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